The Sherwood internships are designated for local nonprofits, governmental agencies or schools.

WALLA WALLA -- The Donald and Virginia Sherwood Trust has awarded Whitman College a grant of $235,000 to create the Sherwood Trust Internship Endowment, which will support student internships in the Walla Walla region.

The grant recognizes Whitman's interest in expanding connections with the Walla Walla community and honors the Sherwood Trust's interest in serving the people of the Walla Walla Valley.

Sherwood internships are designated for local nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies or schools, according to John Bogley, Whitman's vice president for development and college relations.

"The establishment of the Sherwood Internship Endowment will allow Whitman to increase the quantity, quality and range of paid internships that provide experience-based opportunities available to our students," said Bogley.

It will have a positive and permanent impact for the local community as well as Whitman students," he said

Whitman's Student Engagement Center, which in part serves to connect students and the college with opportunities in the Walla Walla community, will be responsible for overseeing the internship program. The staff already has identified a number of local organizations interested in hosting Whitman interns.

Students will select internship projects and apply for funding through the center.

Internships are "education and career accelerators," said Noah Leavitt, assistant dean of Whitman's Student Engagement Center.

"They give students a jump in exploring potential careers by offering them the opportunity to integrate their liberal arts education with experience in the professional world," Leavitt said.

Donald and Virginia Sherwood established their namesake trust, which is among the college's most generous.

"The vision and generosity of the Sherwoods provide a model for other donors who believe that philanthropy starts at home," said Whitman President George Bridges.

"Whitman is so fortunate to call Walla Walla its home, and we take great pride in being selected by the Sherwood Trust to help serve the community," he said.